Odyssey: The Hoenn Region
by Distorted.MindsEt
Summary: He knew what he was facing. The danger of what lie ahead could kill him. There was no mercy beyond this point; there was no turning back. Dead or alive this would be it; his fate would be decided. At dawn he'd set out on a journey across the terrains and trenches knowing in his heart he may never return from where the land of the behemoth met the sea of the leviathan.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

* * *

 _"What do you suppose your punishment should be?"_ That was the question. That was the question he knew would be asked. He had weeks to prepare an answer; of all the hours and days spent alone away from his family in a high-security prison he should have proposed a mercy plea before he stood before the judicial committee. That's the least he could've done. He was guilty, that's for sure. He'd already confessed, but he should've given some thought to why he shouldn't be given death for his crime, or spend the rest of his life locked away in the most horrific Kanto prisons. But the truth was the truth, and he knew this. He was a criminal; he did not have the slightest chance to overrule the courts and their ultimate decision. Mercy pleas, excuses, rights, and prestige—it was all useless when standing before five of the most powerful men in the nation. He was asked again; a crisp, articulate voice boomed from above his head, and bounced off the slick, metal paneling along the interior of the room: _What do you suppose your punishment should be?_

He kept his head low, following the disorganized pattern of the checkered, black and white tiles beneath his feet. His face never faltered, his eyebrows were pressed together in torment. The silence that fell amongst them was deafening and he thought the sound of his own rapid heartbeat could be heard throughout the room.

"Mr. Yukari." He flinched when he heard his name. "Your rebuttal." After slight hesitation Norman lifted his head and looked among the five supreme judges who sat high above him like kings upon a throne. A large gold-plated emblem of the mighty Kanto Empire hung on a panel behind them. It contained the three legendary birds, Articuno, Moltres, and Zapdos perched atop an oak tree with their wings spread and ready for battle. Clutched in their feet were bundles of arrows, and behind them was an outline of the Empire etched with intricate detail and care. It didn't seem to matter how little light there was in the room, the emblem shone bright behind the judges' heads like a halo, and it shone down on his face almost blinding him, and illuminating every crevasse of despair and indignity hid away in his heart. His home nation, he could not dare to look at. The emblem, the black and crimson Kanto flag hanging above his head; he had brought dishonor to the Empire. He would never be forgiven.

"My punishment is at your will," Norman said. He bowed his head to his authority. The judge who sat in the middle was the most tenured, and the sternest, and his chair sat a foot above the others. He clasped his veiny hands beneath his sagging, wrinkled chin.

"Ten lives lost in the explosion on Cinnabar Isle and the creation of a lethal Pokémon who continues to roam recklessly across the nation. Considering the extent of your crime, explain to us why we shouldn't sentence you to death?"

"I accept whatever punishment I am given," Norman responded. He froze, and held his breath because it suddenly felt like the room began caving in on him. He felt that he'd been thrown into a pool of icy water to awaken the haunting memories lying dormant in his mind. Images from that chilly night in October began to cloud his thoughts. He was a visiting scientist conducting research at the Cinnabar laboratory that day. He worked primarily in Saffron, and occasionally Celadon, but he was invited to participate in a secret controlled experiment with several of Kanto's best geneticists. They were going to change the world. They had the knowledge, and the power to do so. They would do what dozens of other scientists failed to accomplish. They would clone a legendary Pokémon. The mood was light and celebratory after they successfully cloned the legendary Pokémon, Mew. They would gain fame and money for their attributes to the scientific field in Kanto; their names would go down as the most brilliant minds of the world. Things, however, quickly spiraled from their control. The Mew clone, Mewtwo as they named him, possessed an extraordinary amount of power, too much for their equipment to handle. Mewtwo broke free of its confinement with relentless rage. It targeted them and everything they owned. Norman could distinctly remember the Pokémon's intellect, how it looked each of its victims in the eyes before killing them. He can still hear the most horrific sound it made, almost a scream, followed by the explosions. Out of a team of eleven scientists he was the lone survivor who clung to life by cowering in the corner of a file cabinet after abandoning his colleagues. He can still smell the scent of blood at times, the overwhelming stench of his colleagues' blood and flesh that pooled beneath his feet when he came out of hiding hours after the ashes settled. Norman shut his eyes and gritted his teeth in attempt to flush away the remnants of guilt that accompanied these visions. He could hardly breathe, and he almost collapsed down to his knees.

"Mr. Yukari, due to the inability to reach a consensus on your punishment we are temporarily dismissing this case until further notice. However, until we resume, whenever that may be, you are exiled from the nation of Kanto. You have exactly one week from today to pack your belongings and leave the Empire, not to return until you are recalled. Court dismissed."

With the sound of a dismissing mallet, Norman was quickly escorted from the courtroom by two law enforcement officers. He kept his face low, hiding the shame that flowed as tears from his eyes.


	2. Beyond the Barrier

**Chapter 1**

 **Beyond the Barrier**

* * *

" _'Epigenetics and Genetic Engineering,'"_ Brendan read aloud, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. It was eleven in the morning and he'd been reading Professor Oak's latest textbook on Pokémon evolution and genetics since sunrise. He took a quick slurp of coffee without breaking his focus from the fine printed knowledge organized within the pages of his textbook. He twirled a pencil between his fingers to ease his anxiety. He had to not only know, but have a good understanding of the first twenty chapters in order to have a fair chance of passing the CEE—College Entrance Exam—and be accepted into the Biology department at the University of Rustboro. And he was only on chapter seven. Needless-to-say, his attention served as his worst enemy. He couldn't blame it on the material; the content was fascinating, and Professor Oak's textbooks, which were standard in any accredited biology or ecology program, were always easy to understand. But he couldn't stop himself from drifting off into his own thoughts. Numerous times he's caught himself peering out his window into the clear, and vibrant sky. His mind lost in fascination until the occasional swellow dotted the horizon and pulled him back into his present dilemma.

 _Focus, Brendan! You have an important exam in a week_ , he thought to himself after burying his head into the pages of his book. Maybe, he thought, he could absorb the information better if he studied each word carefully and closely. He'd give himself a headache, but that didn't stop him from reading aloud and jotting notes as he stumbled across something he thought might've been important.

"Brendan! Brendan are you up?" _Goddamnit_. Brendan clutched the edges of his book tighter and pulled it closer to his face in attempt to keep himself on task.

"Epigenetics is the study of false and altered gene pools," he read aloud, drowning out his mother's constant wailing.

"Brendan," she called again, this time appearing in the threshold of his doorway. Brendan peeked at her over his glasses. His mother, a middle-aged woman who looked almost ten years older than her age, leaned her head tiredly against the doorframe. Her hair was frizzy from the humidity, and fell even just below her shoulders. He could see her skin crawl as she looked at the stacks of boxes he'd yet to unpack since their move to Hoenn three weeks ago. He'd been so busy, and he knew she had a problem with the clutter, but she never said anything to him about it. "Have you gotten around to meet the professor yet?"

"Who?"

"Your father's friend." Brendan sat the heavy book atop his lap.

"No," he ran his hands over the peach fuzz on his upper lip, "no I haven't."

"I'm not going to keep reminding you to go. You're being rude." She straightened up and folded her arms, but seemed to regret the stern tone in her voice and tried to resend her delivery by letting an exhausted, but subtle smile creep upon her lips. She maneuvered around the stacks of boxes and approached his bedside. He flinched when she sat beside him and placed a quivering, heavy hand on his shoulder. He was hesitant to look into her eyes because it reminded him of the warmth they once carried many years ago when he was a child.

He remembered a time when he was just a boy lying in a grassland just outside Saffron City. The area was always peaceful; while his father was away for work, he and his mother came out to this particular field to sit in the grass. It was the greenest grass he'd ever seen in Kanto, and the open field was teeming with oddish and caterpie. To the east was the skyline of Saffron lit up in the evening, and shining like a holy city; to the west was a large, dark hill and behind that hill was the city of Celadon. And even further west, further beyond the barrier of the Tohjo mountain range, was the Johto region. He remembers his mother sitting in the grass beside him one evening running her hands through his hair. While she did this he ran his hands into the grass, feeling each soft blade at his fingertips. Occasionally, he'd let a weedle crawl into his hands and nibble at his palms. His mother always promised to show him, someday, how to catch a Pokémon, but she'd always forget, and he'd always forget until it was time for them to head back into the city before his father returned from work or before it got too dark. As they boarded the train home, the sun and the distant city lights shone a bright golden hue on his mother's face, highlighting her soft features and gave life to her warm eyes; and he'd put his head into her arms because in that moment he always felt safe.

Sometime between those early memories and his very last night in Kanto that large grassy field was paved over for the foundation of a new business park and his mother, a former soldier in the Kanto Army, was sent away on tour to the Johto region. And when she returned she hadn't quite been the same; that same comforting warmth in her eyes had all but burned out.

"Your father and I are very proud of you, Brendan," she said and moved her hand to rest upon his knee. "We have no doubt you will get accepted into the University of Rustboro." Brendan forced a corner smile at the edge of his lips. He knew how much getting into college meant to them. They we're more excited about this possibility than he was. And next week he would be taking the College Entrance Exam for the highly selective accelerated biology and genetics program; it was his father's field of study.

"Thanks mom," he responded, finding it difficult to keep contact with her darting eyes. Brendan closed his book and set it aside on his bed. "Eh… what was it that the professor wanted?"

"He wouldn't tell me specifically, but he would like you to visit him soon. I'm sure he'll be brief about whatever it is he wants." She smiled, and tilted her head to the side. "You'll be able to get back to your studies soon enough." Brendan sighed and stood up from his bed and ran his hands over his shirt to smooth it out.

"Where does this guy live anyway?"

"I think his laboratory is just past the Square on the edge of town."

"You _know_ I have that darned exam next week." His mother crossed her legs and shooed him away.

"And the sooner you go, the sooner you come back." She clasped her hands together on her lap. "And the sooner you come back, the sooner he'll stop bugging your father and I about you."

* * *

 _What the hell does this man want?_ Brendan thought to himself stepping out into the town and wiping his glasses with his shirt to clear away the smothering Littleroot humidity that had suddenly fogged up his lenses. The morning dew had not yet lifted from the thick, manicured lawns. On the way towards the Square, he chose to say on the gravel road so he wouldn't get his shoes dirty. The town was just beginning to awaken. The groundkeepers were finishing up their jobs for the day, keeping the grass at a uniform height and cleaning up the litter along the gutter drains. Residents flooded the Square for groceries and knick-knack shopping. People walked in all directions and in and out of the numerous stores and shops; it reminded him of the suburban strip malls in the residential areas of Saffron, but on a much smaller scale. He continued to walk past shoppers and children and held his breath as he passed the merchants trying to sell him cultural foods that were foreign to him. The seafood in particular did not appeal to his senses, and he tried not be rude as he rejected fish merchant after fish merchant.

Just outside the Square he saw a small structure almost buried within the forest that marked the southern edge of the town. It was built of logs and treated wood like the rest of the town's exterior design. Unkempt mold draped over the architecture and didn't allow a hollowed breath to escape the seemingly deserted place.

"This can't be the place mom was talking about," Brendan mumbled uncomfortably. He forced his hands into his pockets and looked all around the facility before eyeing a sign just off the main road that barely made out the words:

 _Hoenn Research Laboratories: Littleroot Town_

 _Professor: Professor Birch_

 _Operating Hours:_

The rest of the sign had been weathered away and scratched out with permanent marker. Brendan contemplated in his head for several minutes before raising his hand and knocking on the wooden door. After several failed attempts for an answer he entered into a dimly lit and fairly cluttered room. There were boxes stacked all around the laboratory, and papers were strewn across the floor. It was very similar to how his room currently looked.

"Professor?" Brendan called. Not a sound escaped. He let the heavy door slam behind him and took a step further into the lab. He thought to creep around the maze of boxes and towards the center of the room where a lone lamp was the only light source in the facility, but he did not act on impulse and chose to stay silently in the shadows near the entrance. He couldn't believe he was trembling, and he found himself picking at his nails and contemplating to comeback another day. He cursed beneath his breath, and in that instant, a stack of boxes collapsed on the floor beside him. Brendan yelped, and he heard a voice laughing.

"Ah, you must be Brandon," the voice said. Brendan jumped and looked over his shoulder. Less than an arm's length away stood a large, hefty man in a lab coat, shorts, and sandals. Judging the man's voice to be more intimidating than his stature, Brendan turned to face the man completely as he adjusted his glasses.

"It's Brendan," he corrected. The professor ran a swift hand through his messy brown hair, and chuckled.

"Yes, yes, _Brendan_. Please, have a seat," he said, gesturing Brendan to a nearby metal-top table. "I thought you were the goddamn Littleroot homeowners' association. Sonsabitches won't leave me alone about the condition of this lab." He took a seat across the table from Brendan. "I'm always busy, busy, busy. There's times when I'm away from home for months at a time. I'm _always_ in Johto. Arceus knows I love Johto." He stroked his beard. "As the leading research professor in this region, you'd think they'd give me a break." He shook his head. "Nah. I've collected hundreds of dollars in fines. I've even spent nights in the town jail for these goddamn tickets."

 _Then clean this filthy rat-hole_ , Brendan thought to himself, and then he smirked because he found himself thinking in the voice of his mother. The professor also smiled as if to read Brendan's mind, and allowed the initial tension in the room to settle. He leaned back in his chair and chuckled, rhythmically stroking his beard.

"I guess I've been so busy with my research in the past month that I haven't gotten around to welcome you and your mother to the Hoenn region," he said, "my apologies. I'm Professor Birch. I've known your father for a while, many years in fact. We both went to school up at ol' Saffron State. Of course, your father stayed there after we graduated, and found himself a damn good job as a researcher. I couldn't take the city. It stresses me out. And I'm an ol' sap for home. I couldn't stay away from Hoenn for too long." He stopped messing with his beard. "I was surprised your father left Kanto for the Hoenn region."

"His company relocated," Brendan said. He did not realize he'd began tapping his fingers on the table. He did not know why he suddenly felt uneasy. "He was offered a job out here for more money than what he was making in Kanto."

"Really?" Birch casually leaned in his seat. Brendan didn't respond. "Goddamn…" There was an awkward silence that separated the two, and Brendan was beginning to get anxious. "When I first met your father," Birch said leaning back in chair, "he was a brute. A big tough guy who everyone stayed away from because he had this certain look to him." Birch laughed. "But I had the honor of getting to know your father on a deeper level. I was surprised when I found out he was studying genetics. Especially after he told me he was passionate about fighting. I'm thinking, _fighting_? You guys in Kanto don't do much fighting over there." Brendan folded his hands atop the table. Birch continued. "But he graduated, and I've read some of the literature he's published. Brilliant. Proved me wrong. I thought he was dumb as hell. Definitely didn't think he was cut out for genetics." Birch seemed to stare out past Brendan and into his own thoughts. "I'm only now seeing what the science field in Kanto did to my ol' friend throughout the years. I can only imagine, it's brutal out there. The man has more gray hairs than me. Hoenn will be good for him. It's quiet out here. It can get him thinking straight again."

Brendan adjusted himself in his seat.

"My mother said you wanted to see me?"

"Yes, well," Birch began fidgeting with something beneath the table, "let me first congratulate you on graduating from high school two months ago and at the top of your class at Saffron High. Very impressive." Brendan bashfully scratched the back of his neck and shrugged. Birch set a brown book-bag on the table between the two of them. "I've also just recently heard about your ambitions to get accepted into the University of Rustboro?"

"Yes."

"What do you plan on studying?"

"Genetics."

"Like your father, hunh? What field?"

"Epigenetics."

"Also like your father." Birch leaned back in his chair. "Interesting."

"I really need to get back to studying for this exam I have next week," Brendan said. Birch leaned forward in his chair before placing a Pokéball on the table.

"I've been taking care of this little guy for several months now, and I figured since you're bound for greatness, you can take him off my hands."

"What's wrong with it?" Brendan asked, raising an eyebrow at Birch's offer and sensing sarcasm in his voice.

"Well, nothing's wrong with him. Just think of it as a graduation gift from me to you since, of course, you rather go the schooling route." Birch paused for a second and lifted an eyebrow before straightening his posture. "The young people in Hoenn usually have ambitions on becoming trainers after school. The open fields and water routes can do wonders for the mind. No such desire for you, eh?" Brendan's eyes widened.

"Trainer? Who do you mistake me for, a Joh-hoe?!" Brendan laughed. Then he became serious, and scrunched his face up in disgust. "What gave you _that_ idea? Because my father likes to fight?" Birch instinctively ran his fingers through his beard watchfully as the young boy's eyes swelled with excitement. He knew the boy was not aware of the emotion displayed on his face. It was almost terror. And in that moment, Birch saw the boy's father in him, in his mannerisms, and fear. Intense feelings of nostalgia wrestled up from his old days at Saffron State twenty years ago. He was reminded of the summer between his sophomore and junior year when Norman convinced him to stay in Kanto instead of returning home to Hoenn. Norman, in one of his more adventurous moods, spent all summer away from the books to show him around Kanto. They traveled to cities he's only read about—Celadon, Vermilion, Cerulean. He had a chance to meet the infamous Professor Oak at his lab in Pallet Town, whom solidified his desire to become a Pokémon researcher. They traveled from the eastern most city of Lavender Town to the western barrier where their tour would ultimately end. The terror in the boy's eyes brought him pain and anguish because it reminded him of what Norman had become—a broken, and secluded man.

Brendan stood up from the table where they sat and pushed his chair in. "I don't care what the culture is here in Hoenn, but I'm from Kanto, the nation of scientific aspirations. It's all fun and games to want to challenge gyms and raise Pokémon for a living, Professor, but in Kanto, we have two options: science or the military. It is my civil duty to be obedient to the law. Even out here." He paused. "I'm not all out for the fun, I'm out to make a living." His heart was racing, and his body trembled. The silence he created allowed him to think about his upcoming exam, and then he felt sick to his stomach and wanted to throw up. He knew if he did not pass the CEE next week his father would ship him back to Saffron, and under law he would be forced to join the military. His soul would be stripped away. His way of thinking would be changed. He knew his father was serious, and held a strong loyalty to the Empire even though, when he discussed Kanto, and how important it was for Brendan to follow the laws, there was always a bit of unease in his voice and he'd look over his shoulder as though he knew there was someone or something after him. His father made the military a very real option many years ago, and Brendan, hoping to avoid that possibility stayed up at all times of the night studying for his classes back in Saffron while his mother shuffled throughout the house trying to clear her mind from the night-terrors she suffered. He thought of her, and his friends' mothers and fathers who were shipped away to the service; many of whom did not return, and those who did left their minds out on the battlefield. Brendan sighed.

"I have a very important exam to study for, Professor. I really hope you understand that." Professor Birch stood to his feet, he was shaking almost as much as the boy.

"That may be the case, young man, but you'd be a fool not to take a mudkip and a Pokédex. Both of which could help you jumpstart your future career as a scientist." Silence separated them like a chasm, and between them was darkness and ignorance. Brendan looked down at the Pokéball, then at the Pokédex, and back up at Birch before jamming his hands into his pockets and backing away towards the door.

"No thanks."


End file.
